Adjustable electric-light holder.



M. BALKE.

ADLUSTABLE ELECTRIC LIGHT HOLDER.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.. 25| |918.

Patented Nov. 26,

WW1/moms y fly/4wd MORRIS'BALKE, OF ?ETERS, TEXAS.

ADJUSTABLE ELECTRIC-LIGHT HOLDER.

Svpecication of Letters, Patent.

Patented Nov. 26, 1918'.

Application led January 25, 1918. Serial No. 213,704.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, MORRIS BALKE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Peters, in the county of Austin, State of Texas, haveinvented a new and useful Adjustable Electric-Light Holder; and I dohereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descriptionof the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to whichit appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to an improved eX- tensible trouble light forautomobiles having means for attaching the same to the vdash board, andone of the objects of the invention is to provide an improved device ofthis kind, which is simple, efficient and practical in construction, andmay be manufactured for a small cost and sold at a reasonable profit.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved device ofthis kind consisting of a reel or drum on which the cord of the bulb isadapted to be wound, formIng a link in the circuit between the bulb andthe source of supply, for furnishing current to the bulb.

A further object of the invention is to provide improved tensioningmeans for the drum, whereby as the bulb is extended, the cord thereofwill automatically rewind on the drum after finishing using the bulb orthe light.

4 In practical fields the details of construction may necessitatealterations falling within the scope of what is claimed.

' The invention comprises further features and combination of parts ashereinafter set forth shown in the drawings -and claimed.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a view in elevation of the improved springtensioned reel or drum for the cord of the bulb, and the supportingplate for the real or drum.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the same.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a-sectional view on line4-4 of Fig. 1.

Referring more especially to the drawings, 1 designates a supportingplate, which may be constructed of any suitable material, preferablyinsulating material and is adapted for attachment to the dash of anautomobile in any suitable manner. A spindle or shaft 2 has its threadedend 3 engaging through the plate 1. A collar-4 formed integral with thespindle or shaft engages the outer face of the plate. A nut 5 (which iscountersunk in the inner face of the plate 1) is secured on the threadedend of the spindle or shaft to clamp the plate between the collar andthe nut. The outer end of the spindle or shafthas a cylindricalenlargementI 6, and where it connects to the spindle, it is providedwith an annular flange 7. An insulating sleeve 8 is fitted on thespindle or shaft and is formed with an integral collar 9. One end ofthis insulating sleeve extends between the flange 7 and the spindle. Ametallic sleeve 10 is fitted upon the insulating sleeve, and the collar9 engages between one -end of the sleeve 10 and said flange 7. Thesleeve 10 near its inner end.

has an integra-l collar 11, and the enlargement 6 has an integral collar12. The reel or drum consists of the inner and outer end sections 13 and14 which telescope the oppo.

site end portions of an, insulating drum sleeve section 15. The drumsleeve section 15 has its outer cylindrical wall provided with anintegral ri-b 16, which fits between the adjacent ends of the drumsections 13 and 14. By means of suitable screws 17 the drum sections 13and v14 are secured to the insulating sleeve drum section 15. By meansof the drum sleeve section 15 the drum sections 13 and 14 are insulatedfrom each other. The drum section 13 has a circular flange 18 and thesection 14 has a circular flange 19. The drum section 14 has an integralhead 20 through which the enlargements 6 of the spindleor shaft 2extends, there being suitable ball bearings 21, to assist in permittingdrum or reel to easily and freely turn. A suitable colla-r or nut 22 isthreaded on the enlargement 6 to hold the head of the drum section 14adjacent the collar 12 to retain the ball bearings in place. A suitablepin 23 secures the collar or nut 22 against rotating on the cylindricalenlargement 6. A circular plate 24 (which has an opening 25) is securedby screws 26 to the flange 27 of the drum section 13, and constitutesthe head for the other end of the drum or reel. This circular plate 24near its opening 25 has a flange 28, between which and the integralcollar 11, suitable ball bearings 29 are disposed, to further assist inpermitting the drum or reel to easily and freely rotate. The circularplate 24 is further provided withv gear teeth 30 on its marginal edge,with which the teethof the gear 31 engage. A suitable spindle 32 extendsthrough the supporting plate l, and is provided with an integralcollar33 engaging the outer face of said plate. The supporting plate l isclamped between the nut 34 (which is threaded upon the spindle 32 andcountersunk in the supporting plate l) and the integral collar 33. Thegear 31 is mounted upon the spindle 32, there being ball bearings 35between the hub ot the gear 31' and said collar 33. Additional ballbearings 36 are arranged in the hub of the gear 31 for engagement withthe spindle 32. A suitable nut 37 is threaded to the spindle andtelescopes into the hub of the gear 31 forretaining the ball bearings 36in place. By means of the ball bearings 35 and 36 the gear 31 easily andfreely rotates. A suitable spring 38 is coiled about the hub of the gear31 and has one end secured at 39 to the hub, and its other end to a pin40, which is carried by the supporting plate 1. The gear 3l has anannular flange 41 overlying and guarding the tension spring 38. Sincethe gear 31 is under tension of the spring, and is meshing with theteeth of one of the heads of the drum, said drum is so under tension,that when the cord 42 of the bulb or light 43 is unreeled from the drum,it will automatically rewind on the drum, when the light or ybulb isreleased. @ne of the Wires or leads 44 of the electric light or bulb isconnected to a binding post- 45 of the drum section 14. rlhe other lea-dor wire 46 of the light cord passes through an opening 47 of the drumsections 14 and is connected to a binding post 48 of the drum section13. A wire or lead 49 (which is connected to a battery 50) is connectedin any suitable manner to the inner end of the spindle 2. wire or lead51 (which is also connected to the battery 50) is connected at 52 to thespindle 32. The wires 49 and 51, and the battery 50 are disclosed tomerely illustrate a conventional manner for furnishing current supply tothe light or bul-b, and it is obvious that any other conventional methodmay be employed. lt is further apparent that the connections may be madeother than shown. Normally the cord of the light or bulb is wound aboutthe drum, and the bulb or light may be supported in some suitableLaatse? holder (not shown), to keep the drum from rotating. However,when it is desired to use the light or bulb, a pulling action isimparted on the cord, which will unreel from the drum, which, since itis under the tension of the spring tensioned gear 31, will rewind thecord when the light or bulb is released. The circuit involving the wires49 and 5l may form a link in the lighting circuit customarily used onall automobiles,

and when this circuit is closed current passes from the battery 50 tothe spindle 32 by way of the wire l5, and by way of the gear 31 to thedrum section 13. passes over wire 46 to the bulb, and from the bulb. tothe binding post 45 by means of the Wire or lead 44 and then through thedrum sections 14. F rom the drum section 14 the current passes tothecylindrical enlargement 6 along the spindle 2, back to the battery 50 byway of the wire or lead 49.

The invention having been set forth What is claimed as new and useful iswinding reel or drum for a trouble light cord, comprising in combinationwith a supporting plate, a spindle iixed to and carried thereby, asleeve insulated from the end and the body `of said spindle, a drumadapted to rotate on the outer end of said spindle and said sleeve, saiddrum comprising inner and outer end portions, the former being incircuit with the sleeve and the latter in circuit with the end portionof the spindle, means for insulating the former trom the latter, theformer being in circuit with the source of electrical supply, which inturn is in circuit with the spindle, the latter being in circuit withanelectric light bulb, the cord of which is connected to the latter andadapted to Wind about the drum, the former being in circuit with thebulb, and a spring tensioned gear having gear connections with theformer, whereby, as the cord is unreeled, the drum will automaticallyrewind the cord.

ln testimony whereof l have signed my name to this specification in thepresence oit two subscribing witnesses.

MORRIS BALKE. Witnesses;

HENRY SCHUBERT, Henny Vornamen.

The current then

